Door chain lock assembly



April 14, 1959 G, CALLEGAR; 2,881,611

DOOR CHAIN LOCK ASSEMBLY Filed Feb'. 3, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

E? E Lows GCALLEGARI l ATTogNg t I NW.

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* DOOR CHAIN Locx ASSEMBLY r Filed Feb. 5, 1958 v 1NvENToR, LOUIS G. CALLEGAR! BY v United States Patent t DOQR CHAIN LOCK ASSEMBLY Louis G. Callegari, Long Island City, N.Y.

Application February 3, 1958, Serial No. 712,838

7 Claims. (Cl. 711-93) This invention relates to improvements in door-chain assemblies of the character which have for some time been used on the inside of a door to permit partial opening of the door without making it possible for a person to pass through the doorway.

An important object of this invention is the provision of such a door-chain assembly which can be applied to the inside of the door by a person standing at the inside or outside of the door and which may be unfastened by a person standing inside or outside the door and having a suitable key adapted for such unfastening purpose.

Another important object of this invention is the provision of such a door-chain assembly in which one or both of door and door-jamb portions of the assembly are provided with covers held in place =by the chain itself and operating as shields for preventing an interloper who may have broken a panel of the door from removing said door or door-jamb portions by removing therefrom screws or other means by which they are secured to the door and door-jamb.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will lbe had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

ln the accompanying drawings forming a material part of this disclosure:

Fig. l is a front or elevational view of a door-chain assembly-according to the invention, the assembly being shown in its fastened condition upon a door.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 1, as seen from the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, a related door and door-jamb being shown in section.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is an elevational view of the back of a door member of the assembly, omitting all other parts of the device.

Fig. 5 is an elevational View somewhat similar in character to Fig. l but showing the chain assembly as employed with a padlock.

Fig. 6 is a view ofthe arrangement illustrated in Fig. 5 as viewed from the top and with the door partly open.

Fig. 7 is a perspective exploded View of portions of another form of door chain assembly embodying the invention.

Fig. 8 is a top plan View of a channeled plate and lock embodying another form of the invention.

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken on lines 9 9 of Fig. 8.

The door-chain assembly illustrated in Figs. l-6 comprises a door-member in the form of a channeled plate 10 adapted to be fastened to a door l2 by screws i4, a hasp-eye member 16 adapted to be fastened to a doorjamb 18 by screws 20, and a chain 22, one end of which is provided with a head 24 of such size that it can be introduced into an enlarged end or bay 26 of a slot 28 extending longitudinally of and in the bottom of a channel 30 in the plate 10. At the other end of the 2,881,611 Patented Apr. 14, 1959 chain, the latter includes an enlarged link 32 which is sufficiently large that it cannot pass through the eye 34 of the member 16.

The invention as thus far described is capable of improved functioning irrespective of certain shielding means hereinafter described. Thus, if the chain is to be applied and fastened from the inside of the door, the small end of the chain, having thereon the head 24, is threaded leftwardly (as viewed in Fig. l) through the eye 34 until the enlarged link 32 comes up against the eye whereby the chain is positively associated with the member 16. Then, the head 24 of the chain is inserted in the bay 26 and then slid from the bay into the narrow part of slot 28, thereby causing the chain to be held rmly in said slot. In the just described condition, the door cannot be completely opened from the outside thereof, for, as the door starts to open, the chain, due to its limited length, causes its head 24 to slide rightwardly in the slot 28 with in creasing opening movement of the door.

The assembly, however, may be applied to the door from the outside, as may be desired when the occupant of an apartment or room which may be entered through the door under discussion wishes to leave the apartment through said door yet have the chain function as a locking device which may be opened only by himself or someone else having a key suitable for opening purposes. In utilizing the door-chain assembly in this fashion, the user first slides the chain 22 rightwardly to completely disassociate it from the hasp-eye member 16. Then, he inserts the head 24 of the chain into the slot 28, through the bay 26, and moves said head to the right end of said slot. Then, he passes out through the door and draws the door to an almost closed condition, as indicated, for example, by the dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 6. This almost closed condition should leave suicient space :between the door and the jamb to enable the user to reach through said open space and grasp the chain and apply a U-bolt portion of padlock 36 through one link of the chain and through the eye 34. After having applied the padlock in the manner just described, and closed the U-bolt into the body of the lock, the door may be closed and the chain assembly will serve to keep out intruders.

The user, upon wishing to return through the door, merely opens the door to the extent permitted by the chain, passes his hand through the door with the key to the padlock, opens the padlock and thereby frees the chain, whereupon he can enter the apartment through the door.

vIn utilizing the device in the manner just described, the user will apply the padlock to that link of the chain which is available for the application of the padlock thereto and which, of all links accessible for application of the padlock, is nearest to the end of the chain which is engaged within the slot 28. Thus, depending upon the length of the chain, the padlock might engage an intermediate link which is quite close to the enlarged link 32, or, the user might be able to engage the padlock with a link which may be three or more links removed from said enlarged link.

Obviously, one first using such a chain, with the padlock associated therewith, may nd it somewhat awkward to manipulate but it has been found that one who has manipulated such a chain a few times soon becomes quite expert in using it and has little difficulty in manipulating the padlock through the partly opened door, either for the purpose of applying the padlock or removing it; and such manipulation can be accomplished with reference to a link in the chain which is near enough to the head 24 that the door cannot be completely opened from either side without removing the padlock.

It may be seen vfrom the foregoing that an important ICC characteristic of the present invention resides in the fact that the chain 24 may be utilized as shown in Fig. 1 but may be completely disssociated from the hasp-eye member 16 before applying it to its use as illustrated in Fig. 5.

Somewhat ancillary to the characteristics hereinbefore set forth in detail, the disclosed door-chain assembly includes means for shielding the screws 14 and 20 from access by an intruder who may have broken a nearby panel of the door with the expectation of reaching through the breach in the panel to remove said screws whereby to open the door. Such shielding means for the screws 14 for door-member 10, as disclosed in the drawings, include a shield grid 38 having a centrally and longitudinally extending rib or tongue 40 from opposite sides of which extend webs 42 and to the outer extremities of which webs are formed screw-covering strips 44.

At a time when the chain 24 is completely disassocated from the door-member 10, a long-end portion 46 of the tongue 40 may be inserted obliquely vinto the slot 28 to an extent wherein the free end of the longend portion 46 underlies the bottom wall of the channel 30 at a point leftwardly, or beyond the bay 26. With the grid 38 inserted in the slot to that extent, the grid may then be moved angularly relatively to the doormember to bring the strips 44 into intimate face-toface relationship with marginal portions 48 of the doormember 10, which are the portions of the latter through which the screws 14 extend. the grid into its just-described intimate association with the door-member 10 because of the fact that the channel 30 of said door-member is formed with transverse slots 50 adapted to accommodate therewithin the Webs 42.

In the just-described intimate relationship of the grid 38 with the door member 10, there is sufficient space between the tongue 46 and the bottom or front Wall of the channel 30 of the door-member to accommodate the head 24 of the chain. Thus, when the grid 38 is in its described intimate association with the door-member 10, the introduction of the head 24 of the chain into the slot 28 causes the head 24 to function as an abutment upon the front face of the tongue 46 to maintain the grid 38 in its said intimate association with the doormember 10 so that, while the chain is in place in the slot 28, one cannot gain access to the screws 14 to remove them.

The mentioned shielding means for covering the screws 20 of the hasp-eye member 16 comprises a flat shield plate 52, formed with a longitudinal slot 54 therein. The plate 52 is of suicient area to cover completely the heads of all screws 20 and the slot 54 is only slightly oversized with respect to the eye 34, thereby enabling the plate 52 to be applied upon the hasp-eye member 16 with the latters eye 34 extending through the slot 54. When the chain 24 extends through the eye 34, as in` Fig. 1, it is obvious that the shield plate 52 cannot be removed; hence, one cannot gain access to the screws 20 to remove them. Also, when the chain is coupled to eye 34 by means of a padlock, as in Fig. 5, it is likewise impossible to remove the plate 52, to gain access to the screws 20.

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 7, the shielding grid 38 has the same structure as previously described. Plate 10a has a rectangular recess 60 formed near the end adjacent hasp eye member 16. Secured -in this recess by rivets 61 or the like is a rectangular lock 62 provided with a rotatable cylinder 64. The cylinder is turnable by a removable key 66 insertable in a slot 67 in the cylinder. The lock is so disposed that upon turning of the key, a rectangular bolt 68 is extended from the lock into channel 30. If head 24 is engaged in slot 28, the extended bolt 68 willprevent removal of the head plate 24. If grid 38 is inserted in slots 28, 50 and the head 24 is engaged in slot 28, the

It is possible to so move 4 turning of the key Will extend bolt 68 to prevent removal of both the grid and head.

Chain 22 is suiciently long so that the lock 62 can be locked and unlocked by a person standing outside the door provided he has the necessary key.

Another head 70 is provided at an intermediate link 71 of the chain. This head may be engaged in slot 28 when it is desired to limit the amount the door is to be opened. The lock 62 cannot be operated by a person standing outside the door when head 70 is engaged in plate 1u, but 'the lock can easily be locked and unlocked by a person standing at the inner side of the door. The use of the lock with an intermediate length of chain 22 engaged by plate 101- and with grid 38 also engaged in the plate, provides a greater measure of security than has hitherto been afforded by conventional door-chain assemblies. An intruder who might be able to reach into a partially open door held by an intermediate length of door chain would be unable to disengage head 70 or unscrew any of screws 14 without unlocking lock 62 to withdraw the bolt 68. Also as long as any portion of chain 22 extended through the eye 34 of the hasp member, the intruder could not dislodge plate 52 to unscrew screws 20.

With this chain and double lock arrangement, a person can have the door locked and yet the chain enables the door to be opened suciently for good ventilation and for receiving reasonable sized packages. However, it will not permit unauthorized persons to force the door open or to slip through the opening of the door when a housewife receives said package.

In Figs. 8 and 9 lock 62 is shown disposed at an intermediate portion of plate 10b. The lock is secured to the plate by rivets 61. An aperture 72 is provided in the side of channel portion 30 through which the bolt 68 of the lock may be extended into the channel. By positioning the lock in this intermediate position, the extent of travel of heads 24 or 70 from the left end of slot 28 can be limited if bolt 68 extends transversely wholly or partially into the channel 30.

If it is not desired to employ grid 38, then slots 50 in the channel portion 30 may be omitted. However, in order to obtain the full beneiit of the invention wherein access to screws 14 is effectively blocked, the grid 38 should be used. An intermediate portion of one strip 44 of the shield grid 38 may be removed to provide space for positioning of the grid on the plate 10b without interfering with lock 62.

This application is a continuation-impart of my copending application Ser. No. 660,102 led May 20, 1957, now abandoned.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments ot my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and that various changes and modifica tions may be made within the scope of the invention as dened in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent l. A door-chain assembly comprising a door-member adapted for aiiixation to a door and having a channel portion with an elongated slot therein, a chain having at one end a head adapted for entry into and retention within said slot, a hasp member adapted for axation to a door-jamb adjacent said door, said chain being separable from the slot and having its other end engaged by said hasp member, said door-member having a lock mounted thereon, said lock being provided with a bolt extendable into said channel portion to prevent removal of said head from said slot, said door-member being further formed with marginal portions adjacent said channel portion with screw holes in the marginal portions, said channel portion being further formed with transverse slots extending from said marginal portionsto said elongated slot, and a unitary shield grid having a central, longitudinal rib adapted to seat in said channel portion, transverse webs adapted to seat in said transverse slots and screw-covering lateral strips adapted to overlie said screw holes, said head of the chain being insertable into said slot over said rib whereby to hold the shield grid against disassociation from the door member.

2. A door-chain assembly comprising a door-member adapted for aiixation to a door and having a channel portion with an elongated slot therein, a chain having at one end a head adapted for entry into and retention within said slot, a hasp member adapted for aiiixation to a door jamb adjacent said door, said chain being separable from the slot and having its other end engaged by said hasp member, said door-member having a lock mounted thereon, said lock being provided with a bolt extendable into said channel portion to prevent removal of said head from said slot, said door member being further formed with marginal positions adjacent said channel portion with screw holes in the marginal portions, said channel portion being further formed with transverse slots extending from said marginal portions to said elongated slot, and a unitary shield grid having a central, longitudinal rib adapted to seat in said channel portion, transverse webs adapted to seat within said transverse slots and screw-covering lateral strips adapted to overlie said screw holes, said head of the chain being insertable into said slot over said rib whereby to hold the shield grid against disassociation from the door member, and another head secured to an intermediate link of the chain.

3. A door-chain assembly comprising a door-member adapted for aixation to a door and having an elongated slot therein, a chain having, at one end, a head adapted for entry into and retention within said slot, a hasp-eye member adapted for axation to a door-jamb adjacent said door, said chain being separable from the slot and having an enlarged link at its other end incapable of passing through an eye of said hasp-eye member and the remainder of said chain being freely slidable through said eye member, a slotted plate removably mounted on said hasp-eye member, a padlock having a portion removably engageable in the eye of the hasp-eye member to prevent removal of said plate from said member, said portion of the padlock being a U-bolt, said chain being adapted, in one manner of use, for extension through said eye with its enlarged link opposing removal of the chain from said eye and being adapted in another manner of use, for being coupled to said eye with all parts of the chain disposed exteriorly of said eye and with a link of the chain engaged by said U-bolt.

4. A door-chain assembly comprising a door-member adapted for aiiixation to a door and having an elongated slot therein, a chain having, at one end, a head adapted for entry into and retention within said slot, a hasp-eye member adapted for axation to a door-jamb adjacent said door, said chain being separable from the slot and having an enlarged link at its other end incapable of passing through an eye of said hasp-eye member and the remainder of said chain being freely slidable through said eye, said door-member being formed with a longitudinal channel along the bottom of which said elongated slot extends and having marginal portions at opposite sides of said channel with screw holes therein, said door-member, further, being formed with transverse slots extending from said marginal portions to said elongated slot, and the assembly, further, including a unitary shield grid having a central, longitudinal tongue adapted to seat within said channel, transverse webs adapted to seat within said transverse slots, and screw-covering strips adapted to overlie said screw holes, said head of the chain being insertable into said slot, over said tongue, whereby to hold the shield grid against disassociation from the door-member.

5. A door-chain assembly comprising a door-member adapted for aiiixation to a door and having an elongated slot therein, a chain having, at one end, a head adapted for entry into and retention within said slot, a hasp-eye member adapted for axation to a door-jamb adjacent said door, said chain being separable from the slot and having an enlarged link at its other end incapable of passing through an eye of said hasp-eye member and the remainder of said chain being freely slidable through said eye, said hasp-eye member having marginal portions with screw holes therein, and the assembly, further, including a shield plate formed with a slot therein and applicable to the hasp-eye member with an eye portion of the latter extending through the slot in the shield plate and with the shield plate intimately overlying the screw holes in the hasp-eye member; portions of said chain, when connected to said eye, being adapted to retain said shield in its said association with the hasp-eye member.

6. A door-chain assembly according to claim 4, said hasp-eye member having marginal portions with screw holes therein, and the assembly, further, including a shield plate formed with a slot therein and applicable to the hasp-eye member with an eye portion of the latter extending through the slot in the shield plate and with the shield plate intimately overlying said screw holes, portions of said chain, when connected to said eye portion, being adapted to retain said shield plate in its said association with the hasp-eye member.

7. A door-chain assembly comprising a door-member adapted for axation to a door and having a channel portion with an elongated slot therein, a chain having at one end a head adapted for entry into and retention within said slot, said chain being separable from the slot, said member having a lock mounted thereon, said lock being provided with a bolt extendible into said channel portion to prevent removal of said head from said slot, and means adapted to seat in said channel portion beneath said head, said member having marginal portions with screw holes therein, said means being adapted to cover said screw holes.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 931,895 Storandt Aug. 24, 1909 1,325,538 Smith Dec. 23, 1919 1,575,429 Lawrence Feb. 13, 1934 1,946,788 Germonprez Feb. 13, 1934 2,118,635 Zingman May 24, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS 21,844 Great Britain Sept. 25, 1912 

